PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS:
General information:
- Click here to see a video about the research activities of some of our faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at CSUN
- Information from CSUN for prospective graduate students
- Information for international student applicants
- TOEFL
- Recent graduates from our MS program
Application process:
- Click here to see a video about our department, our MS programs and the program requirements!
- Click here to see a video about the research activities of some of our faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at CSUN
- Application deadlines:
- Domestic: July 1 for Fall admission, and November 1 for Spring admission
- International: May 31 for Fall admission, and October 31 for Spring admission
- NOTE: in addition to the minimum CSUN requirements, the following are required for applying to the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department:
- Minimum recommended GPA from previous postsecondary programs is 3.0. You must have earned a bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry or a closely related subject, or have taken numerous upper-division chemistry and/or biochemistry courses (plus calculus) in preparation for this program.
- If your cumulative postsecondary GPA is lower than 3.0, you are required to take the general GRE and submit your scores as part of your application. Please have scores sent to school code 4707.
- TO APPLY TO THE MS CHEMISTRY OR MS BIOCHEMISTRY PROGRAM:
- University application: CSUN has an on-line application (CalState Apply), through which you will need to submit your transcripts, GRE scores (if submitting) and TOEFL/IELTS score (if necessary).
- In addition to the university application, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry requires the following for a complete application package:
- A personal statement (maximum 2 double-spaced pages) must be submitted directly to the Graduate Coordinator. Please DO NOT upload to CalState Apply, as the department will never receive it. Note that "double-space" means that the document has an empty line of space between each line of writing.
Contents should include (but are not restricted to):- a narrative about your motivation to join the Master’s program
- a description of previous research projects you have done (if any)
- what you’d like to do after obtaining the degree
- an explanation of gaps in your academic record (if you have any).
- At least one letter of recommendation (cannot be a form letter) that addresses your specific skills, especially those that are relevant to research. Please have the referree send their letter directly to the Graduate Coordinator, either via email (from the referee's institutional or company email address) or regular mail (see address below). The letter (electronic or physical) must be provided on letterhead (from the institution or company at which the referee is employed) and include the referee's signature. At the same time that you submit your personal statement, please let the Graduate Coordinator know the name(s) of people providing letters so that the committee will know what to expect to receive before evaluating your completed application.
- We currently do rolling admissions. You are therefore encouraged to submit your application early (because we may fill up our available slots before the final admissions deadline).
- Application deadline for domestic students: July 1 for Fall admission, November 1 for Spring admission.
- Application deadline for international students: May 31 for Fall admission, October 31 for Spring admission.
- Please note that submission of all required materials does not guarantee admission to the MS Chemistry or Biochemistry program; admission decisions are dependent on a number of factors, including (but not limited to) the grades received in relevant courses, the quality of the materials submitted, and the number of available spaces in a given program at the time we receive the application.
- You can enroll in classes once Admissions and Records has received the application and you have been assigned a File Number. The official notice of acceptance often comes after the assignment of the File Number so that you can register for classes even though you might not have received an official notice of acceptance. If not, you can enroll in chemistry or biochemistry classes via Tseng College Open University if you wish.
AFTER ADMISSION / CURRENT GRADUATE STUDENTS:
- For graduate students that joined the MS Chemistry or Biochemistry program before Fall 2022: Handbook for Graduate Students (Dept Chemistry & Biochemistry) (pdf, updated July 2021)
- For graduate students that joined the MS Chemistry or Biochemistry program Fall 2022 or later: Handbook for Graduate Students (Dept Chemistry & Biochemistry) (pdf, updated June 2022)
- For current graduate students at CSUN: CSUN handbook for Graduate Students
- Required Proficiency Exams (Review Topics) (for scheduling of exams, see below)
- Classes of interest - different courses are offered each semester - consult with faculty to find out what graduate-level Chemistry and Biochemistry courses will be offered in the upcoming semester.
- MS Program Progress Checklist (pdf)
- Course checklist for MS Biochemistry candidates (pdf)
- Course checklist for MS Chemistry candidates (pdf)
- Possible thesis advisors: look at the Faculty Research Pages and contact faculty individually
- Scholarships and Grants from the Office of Graduate Studies
PROGRESS WORKSHEETS AND FORMS:
- CHEM1 - Selection of Thesis Advisor (pdf)
- MS Program Progress Checklist (pdf)
- Course checklist for MS Biochemistry candidates (pdf)
- Course checklist for MS Chemistry candidates (pdf)
- Selection of Thesis Advisor and Committee - complete online using the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation site (ETD)
- Thesis/Project Planning Form - complete online using the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation site (ETD)
- Application for Master's Degree and Diploma
- Guidelines and deadlines for Preparation of Thesis from Graduate Studies
- Tips to stop procrastinating! (pdf)
REQUIRED CHEMISTRY PROFICIENCY EXAMS:
- Contact the Graduate Coordinator to get the dates/times of upcoming required Proficiency Exams. These are standardized, multiple choice exams from the American Chemical Society. You take them using a pencil darkening a circle for the answer you think is correct. Your answers are compared to a special key provided by the Society. There are no essay portions. Practice tests and/or study guides for some subjects can be purchased from the ACS.
- For students that have been accepted to the MS Chemistry program, you must pass exams in any three subjects (Analytical, Biochemistry, Inorganic, Organic or Physical). For students that have been accepted to the MS Biochemistry program, you must pass exams in Biochemistry and Organic as well as one other Chemistry subdiscipline. If you do not pass a particular exam you will be able to gain proficiency by taking the corresponding course and obtaining a B. See the Graduate Handbook (in the "After Admission" section, above) for more details.
- If you want to study for these exams, review your textbooks. The ACS also has study guides for some subjects.
Email the Graduate Coordinator about the MS Programs in Chemistry and Biochemistry
Graduate Coordinator
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
OFFICE:
Eucalyptus Hall, room 2102
18111 Nordhoff St.
California State University, Northridge
Northridge, CA 91330-8262
PHONE: 818-677-3381
FAX: 818-677-4068